The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Zone D (North Central), has hailed the Governor of Niger State, Umaru Bago, as a Gender Inclusion Champion for his administration’s commitment to promoting Affirmative Action in the state.

The NAWOJ Vice President, Zone D, Chizoba Ogbeche, in a press statement signed by the Zonal Secretary, Juliana Ofoku on thursday in Abuja, applauded the governor for committing to implement his government’s Executive Order reserving all local government secretary positions for women in a bid to ramp up women’s participation in the affairs of the state.

The vice president also hailed the governor for making it compulsory that all the vice chairmen of local government areas will be female in the next local government council election in the state.

According to Ogbeche, the governor’s pledge to exceed the 35 per cent Affirmative Action and setting a target of 50 per cent of women in governance in the state was heartwarming and deserving of commendation, especially as Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the 2025 International Women’s Day with the theme: “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”

She maintained that Bago is not only a Gender Inclusion Champion but has set the pace in Accelerating Action for Gender Equity.

The vice president called on other state governors in the North Central as well as the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to emulate the Niger State Governor in women inclusion and empowerment.

She expressed hope that Nigeria will advance to a stage where the rights of women and girls are seen and treated as human rights.